World leaders at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, took a second group photo on November 19 — this time with outgoing United States President Joe Biden, who missed the first photo op, AFP reported.
The “reshoot” also featured other world leaders who missed the first cohort photo of this G20 Summit, including Canada and Italy's Prime Ministers Justin Trudeau and Giorgia Meloni.
All missed the photo on (November 18) Monday due to what US officials called “logistical issues”, the report added.
The second time around, Biden, was placed front and centre in the photo, the report noted. He is on his last G20 Summit as President-elect Donald Trump is set to return to the White House on January 20.
This time, PM Narendra Modi took Biden's hand as he stepped onto the stage and Trudeau on his right chatted with the 81-year-old US leader. Chinese President Xi Jinping was also present.
Leaders gathered at a Rio art museum to take the photo and when it was all over they clapped and held hands, the report added.
The “show of unity” was a stark contrast to the missed photo situation on Monday, when Biden was seen walking through some palm trees towards the photo-op but the other leaders took the photo and dispersed before he was in the frame. The “no-show” was speculated as symbolic of Biden's “waning influence” amid Trump's return, it added.
Throughout a six-day swing through South America, Biden has been making a last pitch for global support on issues from Ukraine and the Middle East to climate change. But his counterparts are watching for the longer term.
Biden has also kept a low media profile and has not taken questions from the media during his trip, despite major developments such as his granting of approval for Ukraine to use long-range US-made missiles to hit Russia.
(With inputs from AFP)
